With longer shifts, fewer workers can run factory operations; infection risks will be lower: HUL

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever CMD Sanjiv Mehta on Monday supported states for increasing shift times in factories to 12 hours a day, saying the move will help in restricting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also added that aspects like social security and sufficient rest to the factory workers are essential.

Taking cue from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, a slew of states have announced temporary changes in factory laws to allow for longer shift times with mandatory higher wages, but the same have come under some criticism from workers' unions.

"One has to understand that you will be able to handle the factories with far fewer workers and the risk of infection would go down significantly," Mehta, the chairman and managing director of HUL, said during an online interaction organised bySamhita Social Ventures and IDFC Institute this evening.

He said social distancing can be practised in the best way if fewer workers man the factories, hinting that such a move will help take care of concerns related to spread of the virus infections.

"There is an inherent benefit that instead of 100 workers, you could be working with 2/3rds (the workers) and reduce the risk of infection, that is where the benefit of the 12 hour shift comes in," he said.

Mehta also said that such moves should be accompanied with paying of higher wages by the companies, proper rest and also social security measures.

It can be noted that the trade unions have been terming the 12 hours shift or 72-hour weeks as a "dangerous trend" saying the four extra hours per day will have an adverse impact on the workers' health and are pitching for relaxations.

Meanwhile, Mehta said HUL has had a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the impact of the pandemic which includes taking care of all the 2.5 lakh employees and stakeholders, keeping the supply chains functional and supplementing the governmentefforts of relief and having a sustainable business model.

He also commended the government for acting decisively in time for saving lives, but seemed to be pitching for more relief measures which will up the consumer and also industry's confidence.

The small businesses need to be protected, he said, adding that the measures can includeguaranteeing loans, subsidising wages and interest subventions, which will ensure that the economy keeps going.

He also said that direct transfers are necessary to ensure that the 20 per cent of the people who have come out of poverty in the last decades do not slip back into the bottom of the pyramid.